Liberal Judge Blocks Drilling in MI

yahoo.com ^ | 07.12.08 | conservativeinferno

[conservativeinferno]

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. - A federal judge has overturned a decision by the U.S. Forest Service to allow oil and gas drilling near a forest and a river in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula. ADVERTISEMENT U.S. District Judge David Lawson of Detroit ruled Thursday the agency had acted "arbitrarily and capriciously" in 2005 by giving Savoy Energy LP of Traverse City a permit to drill an exploratory well near the Au Sable River's south branch. (cont...)

[conservativeinferno]

Oil makes us "sick" according to Harry Reid. I am almost ready to march to DC...with torches and pitchforks.

[television is just wrong]

I know how you feel.

[lowbridge]

David M. Lawson is a United States District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. He was nominated by President Bill Clinton on August 5, 1999.

[denydenydeny]

Can we have our country back yet?

[Postman]

and the damage to reason continues....This from a relatively centrist Rat President and a relatively centrist Rat Senate and House....Imagine what we’ll get from Obama and the Marxists now in charge of the House and Senate.

[Darren McCarty]

I'd have to read that decision, since there may be a conveyance involved, as well as the endangered species act. (love it or hate it). It might not be an activist decision.

I have mixed views on the decision. I have property near that area. The economy there is based on tourism and fishing. The waters there are nicknamed the "Holy Waters." While I do support increased drilling, that is one area I am concerned about drilling between the possible temperature increases (harmful to the fish that like cold water), leaks, and changes to the Au Sable River.

That area is the crown jewel of lower Michigan.

[shove_it]

I was going to post this yesterday until I noticed it is an AP piece.

[TLI]

The proposed wellhead would be located in the Huron-Manistee National Forest about three-tenths of a mile from the Mason Tract, a 4,679-acre wilderness area prized by anglers and other outdoor recreationists.

So, not only is it not in the prized wilderness area, it is a third of a mile away from any boundary. With noise restrictions. But the judge stated the agency did a "woefully inadequate" job of evaluating how the drilling might affect the Kirtland's warbler.

Really? A single noise restricted drill rig that is not even on the wilderness area. The very same wilderness area that allows the Jack Pine Wildlife Viewing Tour, a self-guided, 58-mile auto tour through the scenic AuSable River Valley and unique jack pine ecosystem, home of the critically endangered Kirtland's warbler? Apparently they are not affected by "guided tours (that) are available. The tours are hosted by professional wildlife staff, and usually they can get you "up close and personal "with these rare birds.

So, up close and personal is ok, but a noise restricted drill rig that is not even in the area is not?

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hmnf/pages/warbtours.htm

[ANGGAPO]

This is the reason that no Liberal should ever be put on the bench.

[politicalwit]

am almost ready to march to DC...with torches and pitchforks.

Well I certainly hope you use whale blubber as a flame source for your torche...after all oil makes us sick.

[jeffc]

I have mixed views on the decision. I have property near that area. The economy there is based on tourism and fishing. The waters there are nicknamed the "Holy Waters." While I do support increased drilling, that is one area I am concerned about drilling between the possible temperature increases (harmful to the fish that like cold water), leaks, and changes to the Au Sable River

That's how alot of people feel when it actually comes down to drilling near them. A "reason" can be found not to drill in every spot where oil is suspected to be.
So, what you are saying is, "Drill, but not in MY backyard"?

[vets son]

NIMBY- Afraid your property value will go down? More selfish boomer type tripe.

[meyer]

NIMBY- Afraid your property value will go down? More selfish boomer type tripe.

Given the value of oil and the state of the Michigan economy, you would think that most people would WANT an oil well in their back yard. I certainly would.

[Darren McCarty]

No, what I'm saying is don't screw up the area. I didn't say I was against this, and I didn't say it was a good decision by the judge (although it was a great one IF the property owner had the conveyance conditionings in when he left it to the state). I haven't read the actual decision, only two news accounts from the AP and Traverse City Record Eagle (wretched eagle), hardly a credible source. If it was a conveyance case, then it's a property/contract case. As far as the Kirkland's Warbler goes, that is based on the Endangered Species Act and the statutes there, and judge is bound by that. The warbler is endangered thanks to its very limited habitat (Certain Jack Pine forests near Grayling and Roscommon) and the parasitic cowbird. The cowbird kills the eggs of the warbler and replaces it with a cowbird egg. I have no idea of the impact of this on the warbler, but I am skeptical there.

Based on a purely economic stance, if the drilling can be done without screwing the area up, I'm for it. If it kills the fishing and tourism due to the fishing, than I'm against it. Now about 20 miles north of there is one of my hunting areas. There's lots of gas wells there. It doesn't screw up the hunting. The difference is that it's not over the Au Sable River. My concern is strictly with the river, its character, and the trout fishing that goes with the river, which needs to stay around 60 degrees.

[Darren McCarty]

Read post 12. That is one of the top 20 trout fishing areas in the United States. That is not any old river.

I'm not a NIMBY or a boomer, but I don't want that screwed up.

[stboz]

Can we have our country back yet?

You want it enough to fight for it? There's a group of folks who think you don't.

[Rebelbase]

“Oil makes us “sick” according to Harry Reid. I am almost ready to march to DC...with torches and pitchforks. “

It needs to be done. Limbaugh and the right wing talk hosts could organize this to the tune of millions of people.

Host it at the same time as a liberal one so we can have some fun.

[Rebelbase]

Every state has regional crown jewels. I want your damn oil.

[Cobra64]

Unbelievable. The state is FUBAR and this moron blocks harvesting energy (oil) and job creation, thus resulting in tax revenues for the state.

Then again, maybe I'm not interpreting this correctly.